Jose Altuve leaves Astros game with injured hamstring

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Jose Altuve was removed in the fifth inning the Astros’ game against the Indians Sunday with what the Astros are calling a mild strain of his right hamstring. He is day-to-day and said he expects to be back in the lineup “soon.”

Altuve suffered the injury while running out a groundout to shortstop in the fourth inning. He limped around a bit once he crossed first base and walked off the field with trainer Nate Lucero. He was replaced by Brian Bixler at second base to start the fifth inning.

“It’s not that bad,” Altuve said. ”I just felt it a little bit … and they decided to take me out of the game. But I feel like I can play soon.”

Altuve has been the Astros’ most consistent presence in the starting lineup, starting 69 of the 72 games including today’s series finale.

Norris ready to go

Bud Norris returned to Houston on Sunday following a smooth five-inning, 75-pitch rehab start for Class AAA Oklahoma City. He also returned to a rotation that has one extra body for the moment with Dallas Keuchel having stated his case to remain.

Norris and Keuchel would both be on date for Thursday’s series finale against the Padres, and Norris would be eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list then. But Brad Mills said that Norris’ return would be no guarantee that Keuchel is the one leaving the rotation.

“I think there’s always a way,” Mills said of the possibility of Keuchel remaining. “We’re going to look at everything, and I don’t want to make that decision today.”

Keuchel pitched the Astros’ first complete game of the season Saturday and has allowed two runs in 14 innings of two starts in Norris’ place. Unless the Astros are able to trade Wandy Rodriguez in the coming days or another starter gets injured, given how well the starters are pitching now and the lack of an obvious demotion, there will be a tough decision to make by Thursday.

Another draft pick signs

The Astros are inching closer to completing the signing of their top 10 rounds of draft picks and could take another big step this week.

They announced Sunday the signing of eighth-rounder Tyler Heineman, a catcher out of UCLA, who will report to short-season Class A Tri-City. Heineman became the first of the four Astros picks who played in the College World Series to sign. All four, including second-round shortstop Nolan Fontana out of Florida, have been eliminated and are free to negotiate.

Also, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed the Astros are closing in on a deal for third baseman Rio Ruiz, their fourth-round pick out of high school in California.

According to ESPN, the deal would be for $1.85 million. Considered a difficult sign, Ruiz was committed to USC when he was drafted and had missed most of his senior season because of a blood clot in his neck, which is under control.

The Astros have used the savings from their bonus pool from going under slot value for No. 1 pick Carlos Correa to help sign supplemental first-rounder Lance McCullers Jr. and were looking to do the same with Ruiz.